United States of America: Director of Policy and Advocacy

Pathfinder Overview

Pathfinder International is a global leader in sexual and reproductive health. We place reproductive health care at the center of all that we do—believing that it is not only a fundamental human right, but is critical for expanding life opportunities for women, families, communities, and nations, and paving the way for transformations in environmental stewardship, decreases in population pressures, and innovations in poverty reduction. Pathfinder provides women, men, and adolescents with a range of quality health services—from contraception and maternal care to HIV prevention and AIDS care and treatment. Pathfinder strives to strengthen access to family planning, ensure availability of safe abortion services and post-abortion care, advocate for sound reproductive health policies, and, through all of our work, improve the rights and lives of the people we serve.

Program Overview

The Policy and Advocacy Unit is responsible for leading Pathfinder’s policy and advocacy efforts at the global and country level as well as to build public policy and legislative support for global SRHR programs and laws and policies that advance women’s rights. The Advocacy Unit builds the advocacy capacity of Pathfinder staff both in the United States and worldwide.

Position Purpose

The Director of Policy and Advocacy will oversee the work of the Policy and Advocacy Unit, and has the responsibility of developing new strategies that support the growing advocacy portfolio in Pathfinder’s country offices. The Director will serve as a member of the Extended Leadership Team which is a consultative body of senior and middle management, and participate in Pathfinder’s biannual Board meetings for briefings.

Key Responsibilities

General Responsibilities

• Direct Pathfinder’s organizational strategy for policy and advocacy and policy-related programming, in close collaboration with the Senior Policy Analyst and the Senior Advisor for Strategic Initiatives.
• Work with Pathfinder leadership and program staff to determine organizational and global advocacy and policy priorities.
• Lead the development of annual work planning, design, implementation, and reporting related to policy and advocacy technical activities.
• Conceptualize and provides leadership support for technical activities in SRH policy, advocacy, and other related areas
• Prepare SRHR policy analyses, recommendations, policy briefs, and assessments for Pathfinder programs.
• Prepare and supervise the dissemination of policy briefs and policy communication materials to audiences at the national and global levels.
• Participate in the preparation of bids and proposals in response to government, foundation or other donor solicitation.
• Work with program staff across Pathfinder to ensure incorporation of advocacy as a cross-cutting and one of the core focus areas of Pathfinder.
• Ensure policy and advocacy is fully integrated with program and fundraising activities.
• Represent the Policy and Advocacy Unit at Pathfinder Board meetings to keep Board members engaged and active.

Country Level Policy and Advocacy

• Stay up to date on key developments in SRHR policy in developing countries in order to inform technical support activities in Pathfinder programs.
• Prepare SRHR policy analyses, recommendations, and policy briefs.
• Provide guidance and assistance to country programs in monitoring and evaluation and documentation of policy and advocacy results.
• Facilitate stakeholder consultation and meetings at the national and subnational levels.
• Support capacity building technical assistance to develop SRHR champions in advocacy, policy communications and negotiations including government, women leaders, and civil society.

Global Advocacy

• Be the public face for Pathfinder in the realm of global SRHR policy and advocacy, closely collaborating with the CEO and the Senior Vice President.
• Represent Pathfinder in the SRHR policy area at regional and global forums, as well as with others in the professional community and in countries of collaboration, independent of technical assistance.
• Work with the Senior Advisor for Strategic Initiatives and others to ensure linkages between U.S. and global family planning advocacy.

U.S. Advocacy

• Oversee the US-based advocacy work of the Senior Policy Analyst who is responsible for Pathfinder’s U.S. advocacy programming.
• Working in close partnership with the Senior Policy Analyst, assure that Pathfinder is well represented in Washington, DC and has a strong voice for reproductive health organizations within the broader NGO community. Expand and share professional relationships with strategic partners.
• Oversee an integrated public policy program that monitors and responds to current and emerging trends in US legislative and regulatory actions that affect sexual and reproductive health funding and policies globally.
• Inform and support decision makers within Pathfinder on legislative issues and interpret how changes in U.S. policy will affect Pathfinder and its staff.
• Support outreach events to highlight our field advocacy work to the DC policy audience
• Complement the efforts of the Senior Policy Analyst to establish robust communication among other organizations, especially SRHR groups to ensure an informed and coordinated response to policies, and an increased engagement by field organizations in advocacy.

• Represent Pathfinder in the broader civil society discussions around foreign assistance reform, and explore engagement with the humanitarian assistance, women’s rights, HIV and AIDS, maternal and newborn health, youth, as well as the environmental communities as potential allies.

• Performs other related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Basic Requirements

• Master degree in public health, public administration, public policy or related field.
• Experience in SRHR field, including domestic or international family planning programs, and/or related field.
• Demonstrated commitment to the field of SRHR.

• Knowledge of current SRH technical issues and their public policy implications.

• At least eight years of experience working in advocacy and public policy, preferably in several of Pathfinder’s program countries or in the global or regional sexual and reproductive health arena. Expertise in citizen-led accountability work would be a plus.

• Experience of translating stories from the field for use in U.S. advocacy.

• Sound judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to work independently.

• Strong interpersonal and networking skills.

• Excellent analytical, writing, and public speaking skills.

• Ability to travel internationally around 20% time.

• Demonstrated strength and experience providing technical assistance, writing technical reports, and policy briefs targeted to decision makers.

• Proven ability to work collaboratively and build consensus across diverse sets of stakeholders

• Experience in donor relationship management, reporting, program work planning

• Ability to multi-task effectively, including having strong planning and organizing skills and the ability to work well under pressure.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working at USAID, the Department of State, the White House, or other executive branch organizations affecting U.S. global health policy also desirable.
• A successful candidate would bring existing, professional, high-level contacts and new constituents to Pathfinder, and possess the strategic vision and prominence to elevate Pathfinder’s profile not only as an advocacy player, but also as a valuable resource to the SRH community.

Pathfinder International is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran status.

http://www.pathfinder.org/about-us/join-our-team/